


Along Came A Spider

by Breezles



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Arachnophobia, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2019-10-13
Packaged: 2020-12-14 05:55:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21010841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Breezles/pseuds/Breezles
Summary: This is a Birthday Gift Fic for KeelyWolfe. It took me longer than expected, but here it is, fresh off the press.This was spawned from a little brain storm as I was attempting sleep and had thrown the idea off to her. She loved it, and then I decided I wanted to write it. I'm sure she could have told a better story, but this'll be my version of how it goes. :PBased off of the series By Any Other NameEdge runs into the one Monster from the Underground that triggers one of his greater phobias. Luckily Big Brother happened to be watching and recruits Stretch to help come to his rescue.





	Along Came A Spider

**Author's Note:**

  * For [keelywolfe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/keelywolfe/gifts).

The wheel squeaked as Edge turned his cart into a new aisle. He usually didn’t go to the grocery store when he went shopping, much rather preferring to support smaller markets and businesses, but sometimes an ingredient he is searching for is harder to come by in those shops, forcing him to wander up and down the aisles of the bigger corporate business in his hunt for specific items. 

It didn’t take Edge long to be engrossed in comparing boxes of a product, trying to see what the differences between the two and their nutritional values.

“Ahuhuhuhuhuhuhu, Edgy, Dearie!”

The moment he heard that voice he froze, ice running down his spine. A rush of memories filled his mind, many hauntingly similar to that one sentence alone. Gulping down a deep breath, Edge did the one polite thing he could muster. Turned around to face the one monster he wished he didn’t bump into, Muffet. 

“Oh, how are you doing darling? It’s been too long, ahuhuhu.” Muffet walked up to Edge, wearing a dark purple dress with a matching sunhat and short heeled shoes. Cupcake poked its way out of her handbag, chirping happily at him. If Edge had skin, it would crawl. Actually it definitely did feel as if something was crawling up his spine. 

Edge only managed a short nod in response. His instincts were screaming at him to react, lash out, to run. He was continuously reminding himself that this was not the same Muffet as the one back in Underfell. Not the same monster, even if certain mannerisms were similar. Edge’s grip on the cart’s handle tightened, his spine felt straight as a rod. It may have been his imagination, but it felt like the store had gotten warmer as his breath became shorter and quieter. 

Muffet continued to chatter, something about an idea for the Embassy. Usually he’d pay astute attention to any monster’s ideas. But he could not get past the sound of skittering feet and a loud ringing in his acoustic meatus. Time slowed to a crawl, the encounter seeming to last forever. Edge held back a whimper as Muffet yammered on, in his soul he hoped for a breath of mercy in this world.

Across the town, back in New New home, Stretch had his tongue sticking out as he worked on the puzzle before him. He was completely engrossed in it trying to find the next piece that he completely missed the pop of a shortcut. 

“fuck!” Stretch jumped at the shout, nearly biting his tongue in the process. He whirled to the source, watching as Red marched over towards him. 

“red, what the fuck? didn’t Edge tell you to knock?” Stretch complained.

“no time ta explain, yer comin’ wit me!” Red made for a grab at Stretch, nearly missing the skeleton. 

“No, I know better than to get dragged along by you with little to no explanation.” Stretch quirked a brow bone at him.

Red ran a hand down his face with a growl. “not unless it is ta save yer husband, now come on.” Red reached out his hand in offering. With gritted teeth and no hesitation, Stretch grabbed Red’s hand to be taken along for a shortcut. 

Suddenly they were standing in an aisle of a grocery, Stretch turned to Red to ask why they were in the soup aisle when Red storms around the corner. Stretch followed along, stopping short to see Red peeking around the endcap with a growl. 

Before he could ask, Red shoved a can of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup into his hand and pushed Stretch forward. Behind him Red hissed out “distract her, I’ll get him out o’ there.” 

Looking ahead of him, Stretch could see the problem. There standing in the middle of the aisle is his Husband, standing as still as a statue and right next to him was a cheerful Muffet, chatting away as if nothing was amiss. His soul skipped a beat, legs moving on their own accord as Muffet reached out with one of her hands and gently touched Edge’s upper ulna. Edge flinched away and it seemed to startle Muffet briefly. 

“I’m terribly sorry, didn’t mean to give you a fright. I just want to extend my gratitude for all the work you monsters do at the embassy. Ahuhuhu” Muffet chuckled.

“Edge, found that soup you asked for!” Stretch called out, needing to break the tension. Both monsters turned to look at Stretch, Muffet squeak his name with glee. It was the emotions the crossed Edge’s eyelights. They were pin pricked with fear, then eased slightly with a look confused relief. He blinked as if waking from a haunted dream.

“Oh deary, so lovely to see you. I just bumped into your husband here and was telling him this lovely idea I had for the Embassy.” Muffet shifted her attention towards Stretch.

“hey Muff.” Stretch placed the can in the cart, giving Edge’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. He noticed magic sparking beneath his glove, the death grip on the cart’s handle making him wince internally. It was hard to turn away from Edge, but Stretch managed and began to talk with Muffet about her ideas.

“Oh, hello there Red.” Muffet peaked over Stretch’s shoulder as Red came up to the cart. 

Red grunts a greeting before grabbing Edge by the elbow. “just gonna borrow the boss fer a moment.” It seemed to take a little bit of force, but Red managed to get Edge to move forward. 

“Oh it’s quite alright dearie. Goodbye Edge, it was nice talking with you.” Muffet waved at their backs before turning towards Stretch. “A man of few words, your husband is. Ahuhuhuhu. Now as I was saying.”

Stretch forced out a smile, chatting with Muffet for a few moments before waving her off. Cupcake chittering happily from the handbag. Stretch waited till they were out of view before retreating out of the aisle and began to search for his husband and Red.

“Edge, et kinda helps ta breath.” Stretch caught the sound of Red’s voice, and turned down the frozen goods section. Edge was leaning against one of the glass doors, the door fogged over from Edge’s body heat. 

Stretch cautiously walked over towards the two fell monsters. “Edge?”

Edge glanced over to Stretch, instantly taking a deep calming breath.

“course ya do et fer him.” Red grumbles as he leans against the cart. A quick glance over clearly shows that there’s a few extra dips where Edge squeezed the life out of the plastic. 

Edge reached out an arm, inviting Stretch to come near. There was no need to ask twice, Stretch went right for him and let Edge grip him, pulling him into his arms.

Red groaned at their display. “alright, enough of that. Stretch, I think Edge needs a bit of a distraction. why dontcha take him home, I’ll finish this up and drive his car home. I’m thinkin’ a little nausea may get his mind off of things.” He opened one of the doors and pulled out a tub of Ice Cream. “I think yer gonna need one of these.”

Stretch gave Red a dubious look. Not too sure about his hint to shortcut home. Stretch looked over to his lover. Edge nodded in agreement. “I’ll be fine.” He whispered, closing his eyes as he tucked his head into his chest. 

Stretch’s soul clenched, he kissed Edge’s skull, whispering an affirmation. He squeezed Edge close to him before shortcutting home, specifically the bathroom. With practiced ease, he switched Edge around and opened the toilet lid. Edge coughed and heaved as he knelt down before the porcelain throne.

When the episode finally passed, Edge sagged against the nearby tub, taking a few deep breaths. “I’m sorry…” 

Stretch knelt down and gathered Edge into his arms, snuffing out Edge’s words with a hug. “nothing to be sorry about, love. it’s ok.” He kissed his skull before helping him to his feet. “what do we say about a nice warm shower, throw on some comfortable pajamas and then you can help me with that puzzle I started this morning, Hmm?” 

Stretch rubbed his hands up and down Edge’s arms. “I’ll ask Red to get us a pizza and we’ll have that for dinner and that tub of ice cream. how does that sound?”

Edge nodded against his shoulder, leaning against Stretch. “Sounds nice. Love you and thank you”

Stretch smiled and hugged him tight. “love you too. now let’s get those clothes of you.”


End file.
